It is always an interesting dynamic when a member of a popular band does a solo project. Take Bedouin Soundclash frontman Jay Malinowski. The last time he played Calgary it was in front of thousands of people, opening with the band for No Doubt at the Saddledome in July. When he returned as a solo act on March 20th it was to a small group of people at SAIT's Gateway bar.
It is a shame that more people were not there, because Malinowski's solo work is amazing. His album Bright Lights and Bruises is a departure from the Bedouin style, more introspective and in some ways more powerful. I know the album has lingered with me and become a fixture in my CD player.
The song There's a Light is especially beautiful, and left the audience in awe with the live version. Narceritos, about drug pushers on Hastings street in Vancouver, is another powerful song that anyone who has passed through that section of downtown Vancouver will instantly understand.
The all ages show was dry, no booze, and one family decided to bring their young children. With Malinowski taking the stage at 11:00 it was likely past bedtime. Jay commented on the noisy child. "This song is about being in New York City and being up so late that dawn is breaking... something I am sure that kid can identify with."
There is something incredibly intimate about a show with just an artist and his or her instruments. Part of what made Malinowski's show so effective was the beauty of just his voice and guitar. Even when joined by openers Kinnie Starr and Michael Rault the intimacy was not lost, their voices just adding another layer to the experience.
All too soon the show was at an end, something Malinowski himself commented on. It still seems strange to me that artists tend to ignore their past band history when doing a solo tour. If I were to have one complaint it would be that we could have listened to him a lot longer, but what we did get was indeed something special.
Malinowski is heading back into the studio fairly quickly to do more Bedouine Soundclash material. Hopefully this will not be the last of the solo work we get from him. Charming, cute, and with an incredible voice, Jay Malinowski deserves his success. Even if you missed the show, I would recommend going to the store and picking up Bright Lights and Bruises.
